What's your best tip for continuing to ride through the winter?
Throw some knobby tires on your bike and go outside and play. Though riding in a few inches of snow might not be fast, it's a great leg workout and lots more adventurous. People may call you crazy, but come springtime you will be way ahead of your fair-weather cycling buddies.

Will booze really prevent water in my bottles from freezing?
When we sought popular opinion via Twitter, our timeline filled with spirited endorsements. When we ran it by someone with actual nutrition cred, the answer was less emphatic. "A two-ounce shot of vodka lowers the freezing point in a 20-ounce bottle to about 27 degrees Fahrenheit," says Allen Lim, coauthor of the Feed Zone Cookbook. That leaves just 5 degrees of leeway when the temps fall below freezing. And he says, "There's a trade-off between keeping fluid 'watery' and the inebriation that may result if a bottle is consumed in less than an hour." Other options: Stow bottles in jersey pockets, use insulated containers, or start with a piping-hot drink.

What's the one piece of cold-weather gear I need?
If you live in a location where the winters are no joke, there isn't a single magic piece of gear that will keep you from shivering in the saddle. (You need everything from booties to a balaclava to a baselayer and more.) Building a chilly-weather wardrobe begins with a really great jacket. A warm core will help keep your extremities more comfortable. What to look for? It should be windproof and have an insulated fleece lining. Don't expect it to be 100-percent waterproof—it needs to be breathable to let moisture escape—but do expect it to be water-resistant. Other key details: a covered zipper, a high collar, and 360 degrees of reflection to make you more visible in low light. Last, before you commit to dropping $150 to $250, make sure it fits—it should be roomy enough to accommodate layers underneath without being bulky.

My group ride has been smelling pretty aromatic these days. Should I join the fun and embrocate?
Regardless of how you feel about the sinus-clearing fragrance of embrocation, rubbing the linament onto your legs could transform your cold-weather riding experience. When temps start to dip below 60, embro will take the bite out of wind. The heating balm also increases blood flow, so oxygen circulates more efficiently, keeping your muscles warm and loose, and letting you ride harder for longer. On frigid days, use embro under tights or warmers for extra protection. Before you slather up, keep this advice in mind. First, embro is like hot sauce: Don't go for the ghost pepper right away—start with a medium warmth and adjust from there. Second, it works everywhere, and we mean everywhere, you put it. Use caution (or latex gloves) when applying so you don't end up with an awkward burning sensation where you don't want one.

What does "hand-ups are not a crime" mean?
Origins of catchphrases are notoriously tough to pinpoint. Here's one take: At a 2011 'cross race in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, a passionate fan got into a heated exchange with a USA Cycling official. At issue? The referee's strict adherence to a rule that disallows hand-ups—food or drink passed to a rider during a race outside of a specified zone. Though beer hand-ups are a staple in the current party scene that is 'cross spectating, USAC considers it "outside assistance." Riffing on an iconic skateboarding phrase that has been around at least since the 1980s, the fan argued that "hand-ups are not a crime," hash-tagged the outburst, and suddenly the idea was all over social media. We don't make value judgments in Ask Bicycling (unless doing so makes us laugh), so if you don't believe beer hand-ups are a crime, have at it with these tips from Dave Pryor, promoter of the 2013 Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in Philadelphia, the fan responsible for the meme (and, in full disclosure, the spouse of Bicycling's own Fit Chick). First, find the right spot on a course—an outside corner where there's room to pass (and where the officials won't see you) is ideal. Avoid places where a racer won't be able to reach for it, like at the start/finish line or near a tough obstacle. Never force beers on riders. When you're handing off a cup, "make sure you hold it from the bottom so the racer can grab it," Pryor says. "And use cheap beer, since most of it will probably spill."

Why are cyclists so into Pabst Blue Ribbon? It's cheap beer and it's not even good.
To clarify, not all cyclists swill Peebers; some of us are into really good beer and appreciate the craft-brewing scene. But it was the riders rebelling against the popularity of craft brewing who made PBR cool—precisely because it wasn't. We're not making this up. A 2014 paper published in the Journal of Consumer Research reported that people think things are cool that are inherently uncool. Want to jump on this trend? You're probably too late. PBR has gone mainstream, and the American company that produced it recently was sold to a Russian brewer. It still tastes the same, but the tastemakers we know seem disenchanted. If you want to get ahead of the curve, Colt 45 is your chance to say, "I was into this before it was so uncool that it was cool."

Can I trust my mechanic?
No more or less than you can trust anyone who holds your health, happiness, financial stability, and free weekend afternoons in their hands. But relax: You aren't responsible for making that judgement. Just listen to your bike, and it will tell you whether or not you can rely on the wrenching that's been done to it.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Bicycling participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.